Ryu Dohyuk, On Seha, and Hyun Sion crossed the hallway simultaneously. Staff members who had been searching for Seha spotted him and rushed over to hand him his phone.
The screen displayed a massive close-up of Seha's face. It was a post from an online community. Suppressing his ragged breaths, Seha scrolled down and read:
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Best [Exposing On Seha of the Reloading Project as a School Bully (+999)]
I am a graduate of Yudam High School, 34th Graduation Class.
(Photo)
Verification of my graduation certificate and yearbook. I will continue my statement below.
(Excerpt)
I can no longer bear to watch the perpetrator who darkened my life wash away his past and shine on television. That's why I'm posting this.
Thank you for reading.
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Just reading the title made Seha's mind go blank: "Yudam High School 34th Graduation Class Verification." This meant the author was in the same graduating class as Seha.
The post's main points could be summarized as follows:
On Seha used his status as an ON trainee to date female students one after another, and he made openly disparaging remarks about the OP's appearance.
Furthermore, he rallied supporters by promising to obtain autographed albums from ON's seniors, and he routinely subjected those who refused to follow him to verbal abuse and threats.
Finally, the OP claimed that Seha had extorted money from them and that this was why they couldn't bear to see him on TV, to the point where they were now undergoing psychological counseling.
"Seha, is this true?"
"No. I... I didn't do any of this."
The staff, already worked up by the school bullying allegations against a top-tier trainee, grabbed Seha's arm roughly and demanded an answer. Their eyes betrayed that they already believed the accusations to be true. Despite the throbbing pain in his arm, Seha didn't try to pull away. He was the most panicked person in the room.
Who could have done this?
Seha swore he had never bullied anyone in his life. He was indeed a graduate of Yudam High School's 34th class, but as a trainee with his debut practically guaranteed, he rarely attended school. He barely managed to avoid failing, and even then, he spent most of his time with Ryu Dohyuk, so he couldn't even recall the names of any classmates.
As Seha's face paled, the staff member scanned him with a cold, piercing gaze.
"Pack your bags. Anyone with a scandal gets cut, that's the rule."
"I'm really being framed..."
"Enough!"
The staff member who had snatched Seha's phone glanced at Dohyuk and Sion, who were watching the scene unfold. Sion looked utterly bewildered, while Dohyuk... he was like a volcano momentarily dormant before erupting.
True to form, Dohyuk pulled out his own phone and slipped it into On Seha's hand, then stepped forward to speak.
"There's no evidence to support these allegations."
"Ha! Mr. Dohyuk, do you have proof he's not the perpetrator? Once a scandal like this breaks, it's impossible to salvage his image!"
"...Hah."
Dohyuk raked a hand through his hair and pulled Seha away from the aggressively rude staff member. Then, he casually spat out:
"I'll resolve the public opinion issue by the end of today. If I can't, we can discuss it again then."
"No, now—!"
"I'll get permission from PD Im Hanseo, so just leave it alone."
Dohyuk invoked the main producer's name. The staff hesitated briefly at the mention of his superior, and more puzzled than intimidated by his confidence.
Taking their silence as consent, Dohyuk pulled Seha toward his room. After a few steps, he stopped abruptly, as if he still had something to say.
"...And even if he's an independent participant, it's still wrong to expel him without even verifying the facts."
Dohyuk's gaze toward the staff was as merciless as the face of a villain in his films.
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After shoving On Seha into his room, Dohyuk blocked Sion, who had followed them. Standing guard in front of the door to prevent him from entering, Dohyuk gripped the doorknob and said, "Stay outside. This is my responsibility."
He emphasized the word "responsibility," pronouncing it forcefully, before slamming the door shut.
"Sit down first," Dohyuk said, plopping down himself to set an example. When Seha still hesitated, Dohyuk grabbed his wrist and forcibly pulled him down beside him.
"Should I step in? Just ask me for help."
"It's okay. I just..."
"Just what? Going to run away again?"
"I'm starting to think I was never meant to debut."
"...Forget it. I'll handle this my way. I've learned by now that listening to you just ruins my mood, even in my sleep."
Dohyuk checked on Seha, who was anxiously scrolling through the phone that Dohyuk handed him, his slender fingers flying across the screen.
"Give it here," Dohyuk said, snatching the phone back and examining the screen. It was filled with hateful comments directed at Seha. His expression darkened.
"Why are you even looking at this garbage?"
"Dohyuk... I just... You know I've never bullied anyone..."
On Seha's large eyes welled up with tears, which streamed down his face like a dam bursting, releasing all the pent-up emotions he'd been holding back. Ryu Dohyuk fidgeted, his eyes filled with helplessness.
"Calm down first..."
"I... I really just wanted to debut... Just to debut, that's all I wished for..."
As Seha poured out his sorrow, his breathing grew increasingly labored. Dohyuk instinctively sat up and grabbed a bottle of water from the small refrigerator in the assistant's dorm, handing it to him.
He patted Seha's back as he swallowed the water, his touch surprisingly gentle despite his brusque tone. After calming him down somewhat, Dohyuk cautiously spoke.
"...I filmed a scene like this for a drama once. The character next to me was hyperventilating."
"...I know," Seha replied in a barely audible voice, his sobs subsiding as Dohyuk deliberately changed the subject. Dohyuk was genuinely surprised by this response.
"No way. How could you possibly know that, hyung?"
The drama he was about to mention was a project filmed long after On Seha had dumped him. Dohyuk firmly believed Seha couldn't possibly have seen it. Glancing at Seha with suspicion, Dohyuk subtly countered, "Then what do you think I'm going to do here?"
"...Don't."
On Seha knew exactly which scene Ryu Dohyuk was referring to. It was the scene where the male lead, Dohyuk, calms down the female lead, who is hyperventilating after overhearing people gossiping about her.
And the method he uses is physical touch. He pulls her into a tight embrace, letting her hear his heartbeat as he conveys, "I'm here, right beside you. I won't leave."
Knowing this, Seha firmly refused. Or rather, declined. He didn't want to trouble Dohyuk, who was presumed to have a lover, any further.
As if he never heard Seha's refusal, Dohyuk brazenly added, "Calming down an agitated contestant is part of an assistant's job. Getting paid handsomely for appearance, I should fulfill my duties, right?"
"...Even so..."
"No more arguing. Open your arms. It'll be more efficient if I hug you from my side instead of hyung's."
He was right. Trapped in Dohyuk's broad embrace, Seha gradually regained his composure. Thump-thump-thump-thump... The rapid pounding of Dohyuk's heart against his ear felt strangely ticklish. The warmth of Dohyuk's hand gently cradling the back of his head and stroking his hair was equally comforting.
This is strange...
These were all familiar sensations, ones he had missed.
Seha knew Dohyuk's talk about assistant duties and such was a blatant lie. Dohyuk avoided even the slightest physical contact with other contestants.
Why are you acting like this?
You have someone you're seeing, so why are you going to such lengths for that awful hung who hurt you? You hate me to death, so why...?
Seha relished the warmth radiating from Dohyuk's broad chest and the soothing strokes on his back. Dohyuk's embrace carried the same scent as it had years ago, when Seha had fallen asleep in his arms. The familiar scent was so comforting that Seha drifted into a deep, unconscious slumber.
Dohyuk continued to pat Seha gently for a long while, as if soothing an infant, until he realized Seha had fallen into a deep sleep. He carefully carried Seha to his own bed.
After laying Seha down comfortably, Dohyuk sat on the edge of the bed for a long time, fiddling with his phone. He seemed to be either selecting photos or typing something.
A few dozen minutes later, when the door opened, Hyun Sion was leaning against the wall. Sion glanced at On Seha through the crack in the door before asking Dohyuk, "Is hyung doing okay?"
"He's asleep," Dohyuk replied.
"About the... the exposé... I only ever heard hyung talk about going to school."
As if it was no problem at all, Dohyuk handed Sion his phone. Sion checked the screen in surprise.
Ryudohyuk_official · 2 minutes ago
There was an official social media post from Ryu Dohyuk, including seven photos and one video. Selfies and four-frame shots, all of them featuring On Seha and Dohyuk together. In the photos, On Seha and Ryu Dohyuk, both wearing school uniforms, were smiling brightly.
"This is..."
"I told you I'd handle it," Dohyuk said, shrugging. Sion, his face etched with confusion, stared at the photos and videos before scrolling down to read the accompanying text.
Hello, this is actor Ryu Dohyuk.
As an assistant on the Reloading Project and someone who witnessed trainee On Seha's school life more closely than anyone else, I want to share the truth.
The text that followed meticulously recounted Dohyuk's time with On Seha during their school years, each sentence crafted with evident care and deliberation.
Sion quickly skimmed through the text, his eyes landing on the final paragraph.
I could no longer bear to witness an innocent person suffering due to baseless rumors spread without any concrete evidence or circumstantial proof. Therefore, I stake my name, career, and honor on asserting trainee On Seha's innocence. I implore you not to let hasty judgment lead to further criticism and defamation of this trainee.
Posted just two minutes ago, Ryu Dohyuk's account boasted over ten million followers, thanks to the combined support of domestic fans and international fans familiar with Korean films and dramas. His influence was truly immense.
With trembling hands, Hyun Sion clicked to check the rapidly accumulating comments. Public opinion was shifting swiftly in response to Ryu Dohyuk's statement.
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